Interlocking tie-plate for rails.



APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 1913.

' Patented May 27, 1913.

l/VVEN TOR WITNESSES:

TTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT L. COLE, OF AUBURNDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FRANCIS J. V.DAKIN, TRUSTEE, OF BOSTGN, MASSACHUSETTS.

INTERLOGKING TIE-PLATE FOR RAILS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT L. Conn, a citizenof the United States, residing at Auburndale, in the county of Middlesexand State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful InterlockingTie-Plate for Rails, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to tie plates for railroad rails and thisapplication is for a specific embodiment of the invention which isdescribed and claimed broadly in a prior application filed by meDecember 2 1912 Serial No. 734,483.

The object of this invention is to provide a tie plate for locking arail to the sleeper to prevent either lateral or longitudinal movementof the rail.

Another object of the invention is to pro-- vide a tie plate of suchconstruction that the weight of the train upon the rail serves to lockthe tie plate more securely and thereby to tighten its grip upon therail.

A. further object is to provide a tie plate of low cost and simpleconstruction which can be easily applied and easily removed.

An additional object of this specific form of the invention is toprovide means whereby the tie plate may be so securely fastened tothesleeper that it cannot be moved eX- cept by moving the sleeper.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating this form of my inventionFigure 1 is a front side elevation of a tie plate secured in positionupon a sleeper and gripping the end of a rail; Fig. 2 is an endelevation of the same showing in side elevation the rail in position;Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same showing the end of the rail brokenaway and in section; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view online l-4 in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of one of theclamps.

In the drawings 6 designates a railroad rail of usual construction, and7 a sleeper. The tie plate comprises a frame 8 preferably rectangular inplan and having a central space to receive two gripping clamps 9. Theclamps which are flat, substantially square in plan, each have at theouter end a flange 10 curving upwardly and inwardly and are of such sizeas to fit closel within the frame in order that there may be noSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 6, 1913.

Patent-ed May 27 1913.

Serial No. 746,434.

lateral movement with relation to the frame when the clamps are inposition.

The frame 8 may be provided at its two ends, or at any other suitablepoints with recesses 12 to receive spikes 11 for the purpose of securingit firmly to the sleeper. On one side the frame is provided with adownwardly turned lip 13 for the purpose of engaging the side of thesleeper and this lip is provided at its lower end with a recess toreceive a spike let which is driven into the sleeper in a substantiallyhorizontal direction in order to fasten the frame more securely to thesleeper. In some cases it may be unnecessary to spike the lip to thesleeper but where the frame is subjected to severe or other unusualstrain it will be found advisable to use a spike.

In the use of my tie plate the frame is adjusted in position on thesleeper with the lip 13 engaging that side of the sleeper which istoward or opposed to the direction of the strain. There a rail is usedfor trafiic in one direction only, the lip is on the side of the sleepernearest the approaching trains, but where the rail is used for trai'ficin both directions, as upon a single track line, one tie plate may bearranged with the lip on one side of the sleeper and the neXt tie platewith the lip on the opposite side of the sleeper so that the lip isarranged alternately first on one side and then on the other side of thesleepers. In some cases it may be necessary to slightly hollow thesleeper where the tie plate is placed to avoid lowering one sleeperbelow the adjacent ones, as my invention will probably be used notonevery sleeper, but at intervals along the road. After the frame has beenplaced in position the two clamps which have been arranged within thecentral space in the frame are held with their inner ends slightlyelevated to permit the track to be dropped downwardly between theflanges. In this connection it may be noted that the flanges of the twogripping clamps curve inwardly to such an extent that when the clampsare in position the foot or base of the rail is gripped between them andthe upper edges of the flanges curve inwardly over the edges of the footor base of the rail, thereby preventing its withdrawal or tipping over.The amount of curvature of the flanges should be such that when inposition they project inwardly over the foot or base of the rail and yetnot so much as toprevent the rail being dropped between the flanges whenthe inner ends of the clamps are slightly elevated. After the track hasbeen allowed to drop so as to rest upon the flanges and frame and adjustitself, the frame may be spiked to the sleeper at both ends or at othersuitable places, and lastly, a spike may be driven in, if desired, tohold the lip firmly to the sleeper.

It is important that the clamps when in the final position as shown inFig. 4t particularly, should grip firmly the foot or base of the railand to accomplish this result it is necessary that the clamps fittightly within the frame, and that their inner ends be in engagement atall times. For this reason the edges of the inner ends of the clamp arecurved on a radius centered at approximately point 16, whereby when theinner ends of the clamps are depressed by the weight of the train on therail the flanges are turned inwardly, thereby gripping the rail morefirmly. This is an important feature of my invention because it isessential that the rail should be held firmly against lateral orlongitudinal displacement at the moment when the strain is greatest,that is, when a train is passing over the rail.

It is to be observed that one of the important and specific features ofthe tie plate herein described consists in providing the frame with adownwardly turned lip engaging one side of the sleeper to which the tieplate is applied, and it is apparent that a tie plate having thisfeature cannot be moved especially in a longitudinal direction withrespect to the rail without moving the sleeper, especially if the lip isspiked or otherwise secured to the sleeper. This specific form ofconstruct-ion is especially adapted for use 011 steep grades where thestrain on the rail, due to the constant application of brakes isunusually severe.

lVhat I claim is 1. A tie plate for railroad rails comprising a framehaving a downwardly turned lip to engage one side of the sleeper, andvertically movable means within said frame for gripping the foot of arail.

2. A tie plate for railroad rails comprising a frame having a downwardlyturned lip to engage one side of a sleeper and means within said framefor gripping the foot of a rail, said means being so formed that anincrease of weight on the rail serves to increase their grip upon therail.

3. A tie plate for railroad rails comprising a frame having a downwardlyturned lip to engage one side of a sleeper, and gripping members withinsaid frame, but not secured thereto, for gripping the foot of a rail.

4c. A tie plate for railroad rails comprising a frame having adownwardly turned lip to engage one side of a sleeper, and two grippingmembers within said frame; said members being movable in a verticaldirection and each having a flange for gripping the foot of a rail.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses, this the fourth day of February, 1913.

ALBERT L. COLE.

Witnesses CHARLES F. RICHARDSON, E. F. UNIAO.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patentsv Washington, D. G.

